Machine for producing briquettes



Dec. 31, 1957 Filed Dec. 14, 1955 E. ZWEIGLE MACHINE FOR PRODUCING BRIQUETTES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: Ernst 'Zwey/e ATTORNEBS Dec. 31, 1957 Filed Dec. 14 1955 E. ZWEIGLE MACHINE FOR PRODUCING BRIQUETTES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 D INVIE'NTOIIL:

@LAW ATTORNESS United States Patent This invention relates to a machine for producing briquettes, particularly from combustible waste material.

Briquettes produced by methods and machines known in prior art have the disadvantage that their storage time is limited, and that they quickly disintegrate under air action, so that a good heating eifectis not attained.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks and to produce briquettes of excellent quality which can be preserved for lengthy time periods.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

For the purposes of the present invention loose waste and working or processing residues may be utilized such as are produced in more or less large quantities in' the most diverse branches of industry, as well as any other suitable materials. These include, for example, sawdust, cork powder, waste obtained from vegetable fibers, coffee bean husks and peanut shells, spinning waste, fly ash and mixtures thereof, olive stones, sugar cane waste, sisal, fiax and hemp waste, jute, cotton, palm fiber waste, peat, coal waste, metal shavings, chemical products and foodstuffs.

If these materials are combustible, they have very good calorific values and burning times when formed into briquettes, provided that the briquettes retain their solid form not only during storage and in the course of transport but also as long as possible during the combustion process, and do not disintegrate prematurely.

Particularly durable briquettes are produced according to the invention, wherein the material is compressed and air is expelled therefrom in a plurality of steps at pressures which are gradually increased to a high value such that briquettes become pore-free. The limit of elasticity of the compressed material is exceeded due to a correspondingly high final pressure, so that complete fatigue of the compressed material is produced and permanent deformation is achieved.

It has been found that briquettes produced by the invention have good properties of cohesion for storage and transport, even as far as poorly compressible material is concerned, which can be attributed to the high density Preferably, the material to be com'pressedis fed into a closed chamber, being pre-consolidated as far as possible so that it is free from lumps. After this, it is'precompressed in this chamber under lateral pressure to form a cylinder and is thereafter displacedas a whole by axial pressure against ahigh, yielding counter-pressure and finish-compressed in the process. The briquette is then allowed to remain free from pressure for a time period and finally discharged by the axial pressure of the final compression stage of a later cycle. Due to the rest period between fiDlShrCOHlPI'fiSSiOH and discharge, the briquette can recuperate. During the discharge, the briquette, oncemore, may be briefly subjected to a high pressureapproaching the final pressure, whereby the last traces of elasticity left in the material will be removed. The last part of themovement of'the briquette during the finish-compression operation is advantageously carried out against an elastically ,yielding pressure, so that any undesired-,conicity and irregularity is prevented.

The compression of the materials can be effected with or without binders in a. hot or cold state.

A machine, for carrying out the invention comprises a charging hopper throughwhich the material to be compressed is fed, a yane'wheel which seizes said material, pre-consolidates it, and expels air therefrom, and a closed compression chamber disposed, between two opposed press dies to, which the .vane wheel delivers the preconsolidated material and in which this material is precompressed by the press dies. I The vane wheel, which is preferably two-bladed, has been found to be particularly advantageous for this purpose, since in contrast to worm conveyors, it does not produce any lumps in the material but effects a uniform compression. The press dies precompress the charged material into an intermcdiate briquette, which may be finish-compressed under very high pressure in the axial direction in a further device, which cooperates positively with the first one, the briquette then being given its final shape.

Preferably, by a resilient arrangement of the counterdies, the duration of the pressing operation is extended to secure the desired gradual increase in pressure and a permanent deformation of the fibers of the compressed material. The discharge of the briquettes may be efiected automatically by the press dies after they have remained in the mould for at least two cycles of the machine.

The invention will appear more clearly from the fol lowing detailed description of an embodiment of a machine for carrying out the invention, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a part-sectional side elevation of the machine along the line 1-1 in Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a part-sectional plan view of the machine along the line II--II in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale through the feed arrangement of the machine, the press dies being open;

Figure 4 shows the same arrangement as that illustrated in Figure 3 with the press dies closed;

Figures 5 to 7 show several working positions of a revolving die wheel;

Figure 8 is a view of a control or shift wheel for the die v(v)heel in section along the line VIII-VIII in Figurel Figure 9 shows a locking device for the die wheel in section along the line IX-IX in Figure 10;

Figure 10 shows the die wheel, including the control and locking device.

The machine comprises a feed arrangement, a precompression arrangement V and a finishing press F.

These assemblies are housed in the machine frame 1 and are driven in common by a suitable driving means, for example, an electric motor M, via a V-belt transmission 2 and a further transmission gear consisting of sprocket wheels 3 and 4 and a chain 5. p

The .feed arrangement. comprises a hopper 6, which opens out into a connection 7 in which a vane wheel 3 is housed. The vane wheel 8 is preferably provided with two flexible blades or vanes 9 and is driven via sprocket wheels 10a and 10b by means of a chain 10c from one of the longitudinal shafts 18. In order to ensure that the material to be compressed will be fed continuously, a stirring or agitating apparatus comprising a rake 11 is mounted in the hopper 6, the rake having imparted thereto a motion combining a vertical oscillation with an oscillation about a horizontal axis, through a crank drive 12.

The crank drive 12 is mounted on the same shaft 13 as the vane wheel 8 and is connected to the rake 11 by a rod 11a.

The tare-compression arrangement V, which is shown separately in Figures 3 and 4, is located directly below the connection 7 of the charging hopper 6 and has two press dies 14 and 15 arranged opposite one another, working in opposite directions and of rectangular crosssection and which are mounted to slide rectilinearly in a housing 26. The end faces of the press dies 14 and 15 are each provided with a semi-circular recess 16, which recesses form a cylindrical cavity in the closed position of the dies 14 and 15.

The press dies 14 and 15 are driven from the shaft 4a of the sprocket Wheel 4 via mitre gears 17 and the longitudinal shafts 18 arranged on both sides of the machine. On these longitudinal shafts 18 are fitted suitable cam discs 19 having grooves in which are engaged rollers 20 of rams 22 and 21 connected to the press dies 14, 15, respectively. The connection of the rams 22 and 21 with the press dies 14, 15 is resilient. For this purpose, a series of cup springs 23 is arranged between the press dies 14 and 15 and shoulders 24a and 25a, respectively, of forks 24 and 25 of the rams 22 and 21. The forks 24 and 25 engage over the longitudinal shafts 18, whereby rectilinear guiding of the press dies 14 and 15 is obtained.

The finishing press F comprises a cylindrical piston 27 operating at right angles to the two oppositely-acting press dies 14, 15, and having an end face 27a which is curved inwards, and a die wheel 28 in which are disposed two double-sided counter-dies 29 and 30 arranged at right angles to one another. These counterdies 29, 30 slide in bores 33 in the die wheel 28 and likewise are concave at their end faces 29:: and 30a. Between each of the counter-die heads and shoulders in the bores 33 there is mounted a powerful spring 55, preferably a single or multidisc cup spring.

The piston 27 is reciprocated by means of a crank gear 31 of known type arranged between the sprocket wheels 4 and during its forward stroke moves between the press dies 14 and 15. At the end of its stroke, the piston 27 is located each time in one of the die bores 33 of the die wheel 28, which is turned stepwise through 90 each time in the manner of a capstan in timed relation with the movement of the piston 27. For this pur pose, there is arranged on the shaft 34 of the die wheel 28 a control or shift wheel 36 provided with eight teeth 35, the control wheel 36 being in intermittent engagement with a constantly rotating control crank 37. Two rollers 38 arranged on the control crank 37 come into engagement in succession with two teeth of the control wheel 36 on each revolution of said crank and turn the control wheel and thereby also the die wheel 28 through 90 each time. Until the next control or shift step, the die wheel 28 is retained by means of'a locking device. This locking device consists of the locking pin 39 which is actuated by means of a cam plate or disc 40 which revolves against'a stud 41 on the locking pin. As soon as the die wheel 28 has been turned through 90, the locking pin 39-engages under the action of the spring 42 in one of the four holes 43 in the disc 44 mounted on the shaft 34. Before thecommencement of the next control or shift step, the'locking pin 39 is withdrawn again from the hole 43 by the continuously rotating cam disc 40. The control crank 37 and, the

cam disc 40 are each driven by a mitre gear 45 from the two longitudinal shafts 18.

in order to be able to adjust the compression pressure of the piston 27 and obtain the result of this pressure acting on the briquette over a fairly long period of time, the die wheel 28 containing the counter-dies 33 is mounted in two rocker arms 46, each of which is supported against the machine frame 1 by means of a series of cup springs 47. The cup springs 47 are strung on two rods 48 which engage the rocker arms 46 by means of ball-and-socket joints 49. The adjustment of the spring pressure is expediently effected by means of nuts 50 screwed onto the ends of the rods 48, which project from the machine and are easily accessible (Figure 1). The pressure setting can be read off on two scales 51 over which move two pointers 53 connected to the spring cap or cover 52.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The waste material to be compressed is charged into the hopper 6 of the feed arrangement. From time to time. the rotating vane wheel 8 seizes a part of the material to be compressed by means of the vanes or blades 9 and forces the material into the compression chamber 54 between the two open press dies 14, 15 (Figure 3). In the process, a preconsolidation, i. e., an expulsion or closing of the air pockets or spaces and pores contained in the material to be compressed, takes place. On the closing of the press dies 14, 15 (Figure 4), the material to be compressed is powerfully squeezed together and on the completion of the closing stroke of the dies 14, 15 forms a cylindrical briquette of specific length and with plane end faces, which already has a high density. Shortly before the press dies 14, 15, reopen, this briquette is pushed out of the compression chamber 54 and into one of the bores 33 in the die wheel 28 directly adjacent the compression chamber 54, by means of the cylindrical piston 27 operating at right angles to the press dies. The closure of this bore 33 is carried out by the end face 300 of the counterdie 30 against which the briquette is pressed on the further forward travel of the piston 27. The briquette is then pushed forward in the bore 33 together with the corresponding die, the powerful spring 55 being compressed during the last part of this movement of advance, where by the movement of advance in the bore is terminated. The briquette is here given its final form under very high pressure (up to about 15,000 atmospheres absolute pressure) between the piston 27 and the counter die 36.

Following the compression operation, the die wheel 28. being mounted in the spring-loaded rocker arms 45, moves forward by a certain small amount together with the piston 27 and returns in the same way. The result of this is that the maximum compression pressure continues over a longer period of time and thereby fatigues the compressed material, whereby a permanent deformation is reliably produced. During the last compression process, any pores which may still be present are closed, so that a poreless briquette is obtained.

After the compression is completed, the control crank 37 shifts the'die wheel 28 further through so that the next bore 33 in the die wheel 28 is disposed opposite the piston 27. The next compressing operation thereupon takes place and this cycle is repeated continuously in the working rhythm of the machine. The finished briquettes a, c, continue to remain in the bore 33 after the compression has been completed and are only discharged during the next cycle but one, i. e. when the die wheel has turned through The discharge is effected automatically by the counter-piston 29 or 30 which is displaced each time new briquettes are pushed into the bores 33. Owing to this delayed discharge and the prolonged period of stay oi the briquette in the mould due thereto, a further increase in the stability of shape of said briquette is obtained by the elimination of any remaining traces of elasticity.

It is apparent that the above example has been given byway of illustration and not by way of limitation and IS subject to many variations and modifications. For instance, other combustible materials, such as peat and coal dust, as well as any other suitable material, can be compressed in the manner described apart from waste materials. The machine is not limited to the cylindrical shape of the briquettes as illustrated, but, after appropriate alter ation of the shapes of the die parts, would be suitable for any other convenient shape of 'briquette. All such and other variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for producing briquettes, comprising a charging hopper through which the material to be compressed is fed, a vane wheel located below said hopper for seizing said material, pre-consolidating it, and expelling air therefrom, two opposed press dies, and means forming a closed compression chamber disposed between said opposed press dies below said vane wheel to receive the preconsolidated material, said material being pre-compressed by the press dies, said machine further comprising a compression piston corresponding to the cross-section of a briquette and arranged at right angles to the press dies to displace a briquette pre-compressed by the press dies out of the closed compression chamber, and a second compression device adjacent to said chamber and having a rigid surface, the briquette against increasing counter-pressure being pressed against said rigid surface during the last part of the stroke of the piston, whereby the briquette is finish-compressed and given its final shape by said piston under high pressure, wherein the second compression device comprises a die wheel, means rotating said die wheel stepwise, said die wheel having formed therein intersecting bores extending at right angles to each other and to the axis of rotation of the die wheel and arriving in succession in alignment with the axis of said piston, a double-sided counter-die disposed in each of said bores and displaceable within limits in the bore and against one side of which a briquette is pressed by the piston, a finished briquette being discharged from the bore on the side of the counterdie opposite the compression piston.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the vanes of the vane wheel are flexible.

3. A machine according to claim 1, comprising a stirring mechanism in the charging hopper, said stirring apparatus comprising a rake disposed in the hopper, and means imparting to said rake a motion combining a vertical oscillation with an oscillation about a horizontal axis.

4. A machine according to claim 1, comprising cam means, driving rams connected with said cam means and the press dies for moving the press dies in opposite direc- 6 tions, and resilient intermediate members between the driving rams and respective press dies.

5. A machine according to claim 1, comprising cam means, driving rams connected with said cam means and the press dies for moving the press dies in opposite directions, and resilient intermediate members between the driving rams and respective press dies, wherein each of the resilient intermediate members consists of a series of cup springs which are inserted between the ends of the press dies and the driving rams.

6. A machine according to claim 1, comprising a spring between each counter-die head and the associated bore.

7. A machine according to claim 1, wherein means effecting the stepwise rotation of the die wheel consist of a toothed control wheel connected with the die wheel and a. constantly rotating control crank intermittently engaging in said toothed control wheel, said control wheel being turnable through for each revolution of said control crank.

8. A machine according to claim 1, comprising a locking pin retaining the die wheel during the intervals between the stepwise rotation, and a continuously rotating cam disc for controlling said locking pin.

9. A machine according to claim 1, comprising two shafts running at the same speed and arranged longitudinally on both sides of the machine, a driving shaft forming the crankshaft of cran'k gear for said compression piston, and a mitre gear connecting the two first-mentioned shafts with said driving shaft.

10. A machine according to claim 1, comprising means moving the die wheel containing the counter-dies within certain limits in the direction of movement of the compression piston, and resilient means acting on the die wheel and producing counter-pressure against the piston.

11. A machine according to claim 10, comprising a machine frame, two rocker arms carrying the die wheel, and a series of cup springs supporting said rocker arms against said machine frame.

12.. A machine according to claim 10, comprising means adjusting said resilient means, and means indicating the force of said resilient means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,565 Misner Feb. 5, 1907 866,999 Avram Sept. 24, 1907 989,211 Updegralf Apr. 11, 1911 1,112,455 Karbowsky Oct. 6, 1914 FOREIGN PATENTS 404,492 Great Britain Jan. 18, 1934 

